User blog:Leolab/User Siege Tourney, Round 43 of 50: Swg66 (Cadwalader) v Leolab (Lloyd)
Cadwalader Owain Jones: The Welsh Great Captain Attacking Lloyd Kumar: The Indian Mercenary Great Captain Prologue Austonio walks down the hallway, shortsword and flail in hand. As he turns the corner, he spots a doorway, as well as the one he’s supposed to fight. Giggling, he prances in. As he does so, the place shifts. Looking around, the madman finds himself in a round room with ten doors, each with a symbol. Four of them are charred and shattered, symbol unrecognizable, though the doors remain closed. One of them, the symbol a stylized, intertwined “S” and “C”, glows a light blue, then opens. Out of it steps a man in crystalline blue armor, holding a massive sword that seemed to be a massive, shattered crystal. The other generals had told him that this man had stolen the fire and was the source of the bees, horses, and horse-bees that had been tormenting him. With a demented grin, he skips in, twirling his flail. The man ducks and stabs forward with his sword, though Austonio pirouettes out of the way, striking wildly with his sword and flail as he does. Dodging and deflecting the madman’s strikes, the man lashes out with his sword in a broad arc, though the madman dodges just beyond his reach and barrels right back in. His foe’s chaotic, unpredictable style wreaked havoc with his defensive game, and he could not get the momentum for a proper assault. With his armor cracked and his weapon showing noticeable wear, he went in for his last resort. Taking a half step back, he raises his sword over his head, as it glows. Bringing it down in a powerful overhead swing, he sends out a spray or ice crystals on the ground in front of him. When his vision clears, he looks up at the ice and notices something missing. His foe. The realization hits him like a flail to the back. Noticing the pain, he realizes this isn’t a metaphor as Austonio flails with his flail at the man’s back. He doesn’t stop until his foe is completely dead, blood pooling and running around the room. Looking around, he sees that the door his foe came through is his only exit. He prances through, whistling cheerily; it leads back to the area the generals are supposed to be confined to. After he exits, the room shifts back into its normal shape. A humanoid being walks towards the door, turns, and stands at attention, face blank. Literally; the humanoid has no facial or bodily features. Leo walks out of the wall concealing his observation deck and touches the humanoid on the forehead. It changes, taking the shape of a blue-haired woman with a massive katana, an equally-proportioned book, and way too many belts. “One down, five to go,” he says, chuckling malevolently. “This is too easy. Then again, I am the one writing this.” Attacker Symbol = |-| Bio = Born to a Welsh Noble family, Cadwalader was been taught in the art of war for most of his life. At a young age he was taught both the mental and physical aspect of war. While considered a excellent warrior in his own right, his true skill's lie in strategy, tatics and his knowledge of war, having long been facinated in the the history of war. A diligent student he spend a great deal of time studying the strategy and tatics from Hisotry greatest Warriors. When he came of age he first served a Cavelry Comanmder in his father's army, over the years he rose threw the ranks until he eventully took command of his father's army when he retired. A Patriot in the purest sense of the word, he fights for his country above all other things. As a result he is more than willing to resort to "dirty" tatics in seiges and open warfare in order to win, and is quick to adpat to situation and is considered highly inovative in battle. While having a long string of wins, he does have a few loses, but ever the student, he's learned from past mistakes. Known for his temper, he is exceptioanlly brutal to those who anger him. His men are loyal to him having served first with him, then under him, most either having known him sense he started fighting in his father's army, or have family relations to those who have. |-| General's Armament = Long Range: English long bow with varity bodkin and broad head tips, with cloth soaked in posion wrapped near arrow head Polearm: Poleaxe. Axe-head with hammer head oppisite the axe head, with large spike Main-hand: English Long sword, with small parrying sheild attached to wrist Off-hand: Engligh War hammer, hammer head, Spike and puncuturing Bill, another small parrying sheild on his wrist. Armor: Articulated Plate Steel plate, with Rivited 8-in-2 Kings Mail, Corinthian style steel helmet Single Combat: Will issue challenges when losing or if confident of a win. Will not accept if enemy is nearly routed, but is likely to otherwise. |-| Army = Siege Weaponry: All units are armored plated rivited mail, steel bracers and greves, with steel corintheian helmet 4 18 inch Cannons with standard iron ball shot. 3 men on each cannon, secondary weapon war hammers and round Saxon sheild. 1 Trebuchet launching large rocks, jars of Greek Fire, living captives, dead bodys and the bodily Waste from the camp. 10 men on team, armed with Scottish broad sword and Targe shield with spike 1 Battering ram, Large tree and large metel cap. Ram and men protected by wood panels covering side and top, guards from arrows and dropping rocks. 20 men on team, armed with Hoplon sheild and short sword 2 Seige Towers, pushed by work horses under wooden canopys to protect against arrows 20 men per tower armed with tower sheild and Falcata swords 2 Sappers teams 15 men per team, armed with short sword and Targe sheilds with spikes. 1 Commander: Full plate armor Specialized Weapon: Poleaxe Secondary Weapon: War Hammer Horse armor: Plate Supply Lines: Attack defender's: 300 Heavy Cavalry wearing full plate armor with Corinthian style steel helmet Specialized Weapon: Heacy Lance Secondary Weapon: Morning Star Mace Horse armor: Plate 200 Light Cavalry wearing Locira Plumata style plated mail Specialized Weapon: Compiste recurve bow Secondary Weapon: Cavalry saber Horse Armor: Riveted Plated Mail 70 black painted "Night Raiders" foot soldiers waring riveted mail Hauberk Specilied Weapon: Poleaxe Secondary: Goedendag Defend my own: 300 Heavy Cavalry wearing full plate armor & Corinthian style steel helmet Specialized Weapon: Havy Lance Secondary Weapon: Morning star style flail Horse armor: Plate 200 Light Cavalry Locria Plumata stle plated mail, greves and bracers with Corinthian style steel helmet Specialized Weapon: Composite recurve bow Secondary Weapon: Cavelry Saber Horse Armor: Riveted Plated Mail Commander: Full plate armor Specialized Weapon: Poleaxe Secondary Weapon: warhammer Horse armor: Plate Shock Troops 4000 total shock troops, used to rush in any breaks in the enemys defense (This includes breaks in the Wall, go up seige towers or other openings. Men are broken up into 4 divisions, which are in turn broken up into 2 sub-divisions of 500 men each. First Divison Armour: Full articulated plate over rivited mail with armet hely Specialized weapon: Halberd (Axe head, Hook, and pike spear head( Secondary Weapon: Buckler and War Hammer (Hammer head, Pike tip and Bill) 1st Division Commander Armor: Full Plate suit and rivited chainmail Specialized Weapon: Long sword and Saxon sheild Secondary Weapon: English Warhammer and Saxonsheild Second Divsion Armour: Full articulated plate over rivited mail with armet hely Specialized weapon: PoleAxe (Axe head, Hammmer, and pike spear head) Secondary Weapon: Buckler and Hand axe(axe head and Bill) 2nd Division Commander Armor: Full Plate suit and rivited chainmail Specialized Weapon: Kopis and Steel plated Targe Secondary Weapon: Flanged Mace and Steel Plated Targe Third Divsion Armour: Full articulated plate over rivited mail with armet hely Specialized weapon: Flanged Mace and Kite sheild Secondary Weapon: Kilij and Kite Shield 3rd Division Commander Armor: Full Plate suit and rivited chainmail Specialized Weapon: Claymore sword Secondary Weapon: Buckler and Basket hilt broad sword Fourth Divsion Armour: Full articulated plate over rivited mail with armet helmet Specialized weapon: Bill (hook blade and pike tip) Secondary Weapon: Longsword and buckler 4th Division Commander Armor: Full Plate suit and rivited chainmail Specialized Weapon: Poleaxe Secondary Weapon: Saxon sheild and Warhammer (Hammer head, spike bill and pike tip) Infantry 2000 Infantry divided into 2 Divisions and then divided into 2 sub divsions. First Division Armor: Rivited Plated Mail and Steel Corinthian style helmet Specialized weapon: War hammer and Targe Sheild Secondary Weapon: Broad Sword and Targe sheild 1st division Commander Armor: Full plate and rivited mail and Steel Corinthian style helmet Specialized weapon: War hammer and Targe Sheild Secondary Weapon: Broad Sword and Targe sheild Second Division Armor: Rivited Plate Mail, Steel Corinthian style helmet Specialized weapon: Pike Secondary Weapon: Steel Long Kopesh and Targe 2nd Division Commander Armor: Full plate and rivited mail and Steel Corinthian style helmet Specialized weapon: Halberd (Axe head, Hook and pike head) Secondary Weapon:Warhammer (hammer head, bill, Pike) and Targe Longbowman 1550 Total Longbowman, armed with English Longbows. Bowmen are are all Highly trained and have a lifetime for practice with there bows. They fire a varity of Bodkingead, broad heads, Flaming arrows, and poision arrows tips, Broken into two divisions. Reserves 756 Total Reserve units Armor: Rivited Plated Mail Hauberk with Steel Corinthian style helmet Specialized weapon:Pole Axe Secondary Weapon: Buckler and Flanged mace Reserve Commander Armor: Full articulated plate with rivited mail and Specialized weapon Specialized weapon:Pole Axe Secondary Weapon: Buckler and Flanged mace Support 500 men producing Iron ball shot, Greek Fire and Arrows. 2 High Marshalls wearing Locria Plumata Specialized weapon: Falacata and Saxon sheild Secondary Weapon: Saxon sheild and Mace 10 General's Guard wearing full plate over rivited mail and Armet Helmet Specialized weapon: Longsword and Kite Shield Secondary Weapon: Bearded Hand axe and Kite Shield 1 General's Guard Captain wearing full plate over rivited mail with Steel skull cap Specialized weapon: Longsword and Aspis sheild Secondary Weapon:hand axe and tower Shield Strategy Intercept enemy supply lines & protect own Somtimes will allow tainted supplys into enemy fort (Posioned Water, Spoiled meat, anything that will make the enmy sick.) Harass defenders on walls with Longbowmen Longbowmen fire vollys of flaming arrows into enemy fort Launch any enemies lving or dead over the wall with trebuchets, as well as all human waste from the camp (Urine, Feces, severd body part ect.) When dead are unavailable, launch Greek Fire in and bombard walls with canon and trebuchet fire while trying to batter down doors or get Towers on the the wall Shock Troops are used in critical junctures,as diversions and to rush in any breaks in enemy defense, using heavy arming and large numbers to over run the enemy Infantry used to follw up shock troops to mop up any survivors General's Guard protects the general, High Marshalls are given command during large periods of activity. Leads from a few ranks behind the front. Reserve is put in where needed Sapper Teams perform a varity of task such as tunneling under Walls to either sneak in, or more likly destroy the walls. Secondary Sapping Team functions as general sappers, doing a varity of tasked to weaken enemy defense, but will work in shifts with primary team to insure constant work on sapping efforts. Defender Symbol = |-| Bio = An Indian noble, Lloyd is well-versed in both the theory and practice of generalship, as well as the difference between strategy and tactics. Trained from a early age in both armed combat and in leadership, he has shown a mastery of both throughout his career. After leading several successful campaigns in his native land, he tried his luck as a mercenary general, taking the name Lloyd Kumar to make himself more approachable to his western subordinates while keeping his Indian heritage. He has faced many different opponents in battle, and his losses are few and far between. Throughout his travels, he showed a knack for and specialized in Siege Warfare, using unorthodox and unfair tactics to his advantage. Rather than settling down in any one country, Lloyd continues life as a general-for-hire, and has risen to prominence as one of the premier strategic minds in war. Rather than switching sides for coin, he only takes bids prior to his involvement in a war, pledging his loyalty to one side; this, along with his fame, has mostly nullified the mistrust most soldiers have for mercenaries. He is currently writing a book about his strategies, to be published upon his death. |-| General's Armament = *Weapons: **Long Range: Composite Recurve Bow with poisoned armor-piercing arrows **Polearm: Halberd (axe head opposite a slotted dismounting hook; shaft ends in a pike). **Main-hand: Talwar **Off-hand: short axe (2 ft handle) *Armor: Riveted Plated Mail Will accept Single Combat requests if losing or confident of a win in combat; will not accept if the enemy is nearly routed. |-| Army = Defending Siege Countermeasures *All units wear riveted plated mail. *4 Scorpion Ballistae firing steel bolts, Greek Fire jar tipped bolts, disease jar tipped bolts, or heads impaled on wooden stakes **4 men per Ballista **Secondary weapons: Pata-style Shortsword and Jamadhar-style Katar. *4 Greek Fire throwing teams (in jars) **3 men per team **Secondary weapons:Pata-style Shortsword and Jamadhar-style Katar. *2 15-inch Canons firing Grapeshot, iron balls, Canister Shot, or bits of scrap metal. **4 people per cannon **Secondary weapons: Aspis and Xyston *2 Farming units **30 people per unit **Secondary weapons: Pata-style Shortsword and Jamadhar-style Katar. Infantry *Organized into brigades of 2500 men, then into divisions of 500, then squads of 20. *5000 Infantrymen wearing riveted plated mail & Barbute **Specialized weapon: short spear & buckler **Secondary Weapon: axe and buckler *250 squad leaders wearing laminar over leather & Barbute **Specialized weapon: short Axe and spiked, plated Targe **Secondary weapon: Swordbreaker and spiked, plated targe *10 division leaders wearing lamellar over chainmail **Specialized weapon: Swordbreaker and buckler **Secondary Weapon: Broadsword and Buckler *2 brigade leaders wearing Chihal'Ta Hazar Masha (Coat of 10,000 Nails) over leather & Barbute **Specialized Weapon: Broadsword and Dagger **Secondary Weapon: Kopis and Dagger *1 overall leader wearing a metal breastplate over plated chainmail and Barbute **Specialized weapon: Kopis & plated targe **Secondary weapon: short spear & plated targe Support *4 Wall Marshals wearing full Karuta armour with Zunari Kabuto **Specialized weapon: Wakizashi (carries four or five) **Secondary Weapon: Kozuka *Reserve; Organized into divisions of 500 men, further divided into squads with 20 men each. **1000 Reserve Members wearing Chihal'Ta Hazar Masha (Coat of 10,000 Nails) & Barbute ***Specialized weapon: Kilij and Buckler ***Secondary Weapon: Swordbreaker and buckler **50 squad leaders wearing Chihal'Ta Hazar Masha (Coat of 10,000 Nails) & Bascinet ***Specialized weapon: Swordbreaker & Buckler ***Secondary weapon: Axe and Buckler **2 Division Leaders wearing Chihal'Ta Hazar Masha (Coat of 10,000 Nails) with Burgonet ***Specialized Weapon: Axe and Buckler ***Secondary Weapon: Rapier and Buckler **1 Overall Leader wearing Chihal'Ta Hazar Masha (Coat of 10,000 Nails) with ornate Burgonet ***Specialized Weapon: Rapier and Khanjar ***Secondary Weapon: Kilij and Khanjar *869 workers making materials for coutermeasures **Secondary weapon: Pata and Buckler Crossbowmen *Organized into squads of 20 men each, 10 men and 10 loaders. *100 Crossbowmen wearing Riveted plated mail & Barbute: **Specialized Weapon: Arbalest Crossbow **Secondary Weapon: Axe and Buckler *100 Loaders wearing Riveted plated mail & Barbute: **Specialized Weapon: Arbalest Crossbow **Secondary Weapon: Axe and Buckler *10 Squad Commanders wearing Laminar Armor & Barbute: **Specialized Weapon: Arbalest Crossbow **Secondary Weapon: Spatha and Buckler *1 Crossbow Commander wearing Riveted Plated Chainmail: **Specialized Weapon: Arbalest Crossbow **Secondary Weapon: Khanjar and Buckler Tactics *Harrass attackers with Crossbow Volleys *Attempt precision attacks on command center(s) with Scorpion *Use Greek Fire arrows at night to throw camps into chaos **Try to target cooks, supplies, medical tents, etc. *When POWs or enemy dead are captured, send heads back on bolts after interrogation interspersed with diseased bolts *Wall Marshals are given command of each wall *Have Greek Fire jar throwers hit battering rams, belfries, enemies, etc. *Canons are used during massed attacks *Also used during breakthroughs to make halls a killing field *Stringent anti-infiltration measures. *All orders are written in code. Redundant messengers are used to ensure order reaches the officers. X-Factors These X-Factors are created by taking averages from the X-Factor evaluation blog, rounded to the nearest number. I did not choose them. There is no bias. Victory Conditions Attacker= *Overrun castle *Force defender to surrender *Win Single Combat |-| Defender= *Force attacker to surrender *Annihilate attacker *Survive for 4 months *Win Single Combat |-|Tie= *One side meets the victory conditions but loses their general *Both sides lose their general. Battle Notes Battle = *Any siege weapons without a crew cannot be used *Area is as follows: **A square, stone fort with a tower at each corner and one in the center. It is on a hill, but has no other natural barriers. Castle is 100 m x 100 m x 125 m. Towers have a 10 m radius and are 150 m tall. The fighting is mostly close-quarters in small areas within the castle. |-|Voting = In order for a vote to count as full, it must contain an analysis of the victory or tie conditions and which - if any - the armies can meet. A paragraph or two with at least 10 relevant sentences can be substituted for a full vote. A paragraph or two with 5 relevant sentences will count as a half vote. All others will not count. A rebuttal can lower a vote by .5, if not subject to a counter-argument. The arguments must be logical to count. |-| General's Kit = *Includes: **A telescope / looking glass for his personal use and others for the commanders **Several maps of the area **Locations of friendly supply lines **Various support personnel: a quartermaster corps, cooking corps, medical corps, and religious services Battle 0 Months, 0 Days, 18 Hours. Cadwalader Owain Jones sits in his tent, planning. While scanning the castle battlements, he had noticed the opposing general was Lloyd. This would present a problem; Lloyd occupied one of the spots in the “Great Captains,” the five best generals in the world. Cadwalader, naturally, occupied another one of those spots. It wouldn’t make his task any easier, though. Sighing, he gets back to his planning. He has a lot to do, after all. Lloyd Kumar sits in his quarters, pouring over the maps spread out on the table, trying to determine how his foe would move. An exercise in futility, most would say, since his opponent is Cadwalader, but he was confident that he could anticipate some of the man’s moves. They were both Great Captains, after all. He grabs his wine glass and takes a sip. This was going to be a long four months. 1 Months, 20 Days, 15 Hours. Cadwalader the Cunning walked with the man he appointed to command his siege weapons, discussing tactics. Lloyd’s ballistae had done a great deal of damage, and he needed to get those out of the picture as fast as possible. “I need you to concentrate our cannon and trebuchet fire on those towers,” he says, “That seems to be the placement of his ballistae. We need to bring those down – half the sappers are sick or injured from them.” The commander salutes, and walks back to his men to give the orders. Cawalder turns and looks at the fort before turning to go back to his tent. His cavalry commanders had something to report. Lloyd Kumar reclined in his quarters, looking at the wine-stained map on his table. His foe seems to have been able to mount a fully working interception of one of his supply lines. It didn’t matter all that much, since he had dedicated farmers producing food as a backup, but it was still galling. But at the end of the day, there was nothing to do but wait. He takes out the loosely-bound sheets that make up the drafts of the book he’s writing. Might as well get some more of this written. 2 Months, 24 Days, 15 Hours. Cadwalader looked at the fort through his spyglass and smiled. His cannons and trebuchets had shut down his foe’s ballistae, and his forces had captured their second supply line. His mining team should be ready to breach the castle within a month. Things were looking very, very good for the near future. He tempered his elation with caution, however – his foe was another Great Captain, after all. As if on a cue to prove that point, a volley of crossbow bolts rained down on a section of his camp. He still undeniably held the advantage. The fort should be his soon. Lloyd Kumar grimaced inside his quarters, draining his wineglass. He was down to solely his crossbowmen to harass his foe. All of his Ballistae were down, and it seemed like their second supply train had dried up as well. He wasn’t too worried about food supplies – he had sixty men growing food for him and his men within the fort’s courtyard. What he was worried about was a shortage of ammunition for the crossbowmen, cannons, and fire throwers, as well as a deterioration of the men’s melee implements. The balance of the siege hadn’t tipped one way or another, by his reckoning. He simply needed to convince his foe that he wasn’t worth wasting more men on. And that meant more waiting, and another glass of wine. 3 Months, 31 Days, 18 Hours. Cadwalader surveyed his forces. He was going to beat Lloyd at his own game. Under covering fire from his trebuchets, his belfries were moving forwards, as were his cannons and battering ram, ostensibly aiming to break the gate down. He didn’t expect it to happen, but if it did it would still compliment the true thrust of his attack: his sappers. They’d nearly breached the walls of the castle – the slow source of intel from men deserting his foe had suggested it was far more practical to attack from behind rather than a frontal assault. He smiled; things were going quite well for him. Around that moment one of the belfries burst into flames. Lloyd was moving up and down the battlements, giving orders to his men. His foe had sent in many of his siege engines; Lloyd and his High Marshalls were coordinating the teams of Greek Fire throwers to do maximum damage with the supplies they had. One tower and the battering ram were completely engulfed in fire, and the cannons were looking to be joining them soon. The second tower was just now coming in range for his men to strike, assuming they’re not ducking under the trebuchet fire. This fight seemed to be turning his way, but Lloyd was still worried. Cadwalader knew his defenses – the accursed deserters had made sure of that. He knew that an assault like this wouldn’t work. Which was why he had only three of his Greek Fire teams on the walls, and half of the rest of his forces near the point the enemy clearly expected to breach. The rest were making barricades out of the materials they had, trying to funnel attackers from any angle towards sets of choke points where the grapeshot in his cannons would make mincemeat out of the invaders. His concern was vindicated when one of the soldiers stationed inside the castle came running up, covered in blood. The enemy had entered from below. Seeing the frontal assault in shambles, he waves his men to go and join the rest and fight. Lloyd unlimbered and strung his bow, checking his quiver. He was going general hunting. Cadwalader moved through the castle, having recently exited the last remaining entry point. The other five were rendered useless by the time they had finished off that tenacious Greek Fire team. There was one way to end this quickly – he needed to find Lloyd. As if on cue, an arrow punched into his side. His armor prevented it from hitting his skin, fortunately. Lloyd used a rather nasty poison. He turned and looked at his foe, who was holding his bow in a salute. Returning the gesture with his broadsword, he drops into a fighting crouch as Lloyd draws another arrow. “No poison on these, Cadwalader,” he says, “If I have to kill you I’ll make it quick.” “Then I’ll return the favor.” The two circle one another, trying to find gaps in their opponent. Lloyd looses an arrow and then drops his bow. Drawing his talwar, he ducks under Cadwalader’s slash and slices upwards towards the shoulder while drawing his axe into a short arc aimed at his foe’s neck. Seeing motion form the corner of his eye, he breaks off his attack and twists out of the way to avoid a hammer blow. “You’re far too nimble for an old man,” Cadwalader says as the two continue circling each other. “If I’m against youths like you, I need to be.” The two charge back in, the air around them a blur of attempts to stab, slash, or smash the other. The two seem evenly matched, and they break off once again. Glaring silently at each other, they charge back in. This time, however, the balance has shifted slightly. Lloyd is breathing hard, exhausted. Despite his attempts to stay fit, his body was not as healthy and strong as it once was – the ravages of time spared none. His opponent, by contrast, was still in his prime; strong, fit, and with far larger reserves of stamina. Eventually, one of Cadwalader’s blows gets through. The warhammer smashes into Lloyd’s head, killing him almost instantly. As Cadwalader looks on in triumph, he hears a noise behind him. He turns to see a cannon in front of his face. He dives into a side hallway just before it fires, narrowly escaping the small, dense Grapeshot. Moving quickly before they could reload, he meets up with other survivors, also harried by the cannons. Pinned down by the cannons, they are unable to advance farther into the castle. They have no choice but to retreat. Slowly, inexorably, they are pushed back outside of the fort. The two sides glare at each other before the gate is slammed shut. End of Siege. Statistics: Note to those wondering: This was a tie. Lloyd died, but the condition of survival was fulfilled. *Total Time:4 Months, 0 Days, 0 Hours, 0 Minutes *Losses: 16,976 **Cadwalader:9,700 **Lloyd: 7,276 Category:Blog posts